September 22, 2024

Good morning. Welcome to our weekly Sunday newsletter. We are covering Nigeria’s climate crisis from plastics and pollution, HBCU’s receiving $1 billion in federal aid and Solange Knowles’ new orchestra feature in Los Angeles.

Nigeria’s Plastic Pollution Crisis

By Lisa D. Tinsley

Nigeria, identified as a plastic pollution hotspot, faces a severe environmental crisis as millions of tons of plastic contaminates the rivers, beaches and ecosystems calling for urgent action and enforcement of single-use plastic bans.

A Plastic Crisis in Nigeria

Nigeria faces a severe plastic pollution problem, emitting 3.5 million tons of plastic annually, second only to India. Plastic waste, ranging from large macroplastics to tiny nanoplastics, infiltrates all aspects of Nigerian life, from food packaging to plumbing. This widespread pollution permeates not just cities but natural environments as well, particularly rivers and beaches.

Rivers Contaminated with Microplastics

Research shows Nigerian waterways are heavily polluted. One study found over 22,000 microplastic particles per liter in the Osun River, which far exceeds global averages. The contamination is not just limited to water but also affects marine life, with snails and insects from these ecosystems absorbing microplastics. This poses a threat to entire food chains in the region.

Lagos Beaches and Aquatic Life Affected

Lagos beaches have also been plagued by plastic fragments, a result of poor waste management. Studies found microplastics in beach sediments and in the aquatic creatures inhabiting Nigeria’s rivers. This is concerning, as these insects are a key part of the food chain. Microplastics in ecosystems are likely to affect a wide range of species, exacerbating environmental damage.

Addressing the Problem: Bans and Corporate Responsibility

Efforts to tackle plastic pollution have begun with bans on single-use plastics, introduced by the Lagos State government and Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Environment. However, enforcement remains a challenge.

Researchers advocate for corporate responsibility, urging businesses to adopt sustainable practices to reduce plastic waste and combat this growing environmental issue.

campus chronicles // hbcu edition

• The HBCU National Tennis Championship ends today in Atlanta, Georgia. The tournament provides schools with the opportunity to compete during the fall to allow players to meet, compete, and be crowned National Champions at the end of the tournament, both individually and as teams. Every year, at least 15 collegiate institutions (over 30 men’s and women’s tennis programs) with close to 250 players compete in slated events, for both singles and doubles.

• President Joe Biden at the HBCU Week Conference announced this past week his administration is investing more than $1 billion in HBCUs. The total contributions to date from the Biden-Harris administration is more than $17 billion. The Trump adminstation re-authorized $225 million to minority-serving institutions, which included $85 milllion to HBCUs.

• Florida A&M (FAMU) Athletics is a recipient of the NCAA’s Accelerating Academic Success Program (AASP) single-year initiative grant for the 2024-2025 academic year, receiving $87,000. The grant will assist in enhancing the student-athlete academic support area through technology upgrades, academic facility enhancements and programming for student-athletes.

election insight

• Leaders of the nation’s historically Black colleges are not sold on either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, even though both candidates tout their support on the campaign trail. School presidents — usually key in galvanizing local communities to vote — have stayed uncharacteristically quiet this election due in part to the candidates’ thin policy agendas and concerns about how their historically underfunded institutions will benefit.

• A survey from the NAACP found that 78% of Black voters feel the same sense of excitement as when Obama first ran, with 56% being more excited now than in 2008.

• The nonpartisan group, Black Voters Matter, will mount a voter mobilization effort that includes radio ads, billboards and on-the-ground canvassing operations, with a focus on early voting. The organization will spend $15 million in battleground states.

black history in quotes 

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our community in numbers

Education: HBCUs generate $16.5 billion in total economic impact across local and regional economies. This estimate includes direct spending on faculty, employees, academic programs and operations, and by students, as well as the follow-on effects of that spending.

Science: According to the National Science Foundation’s Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities 2023 report, Black Americans represented only 9% of the STEM workforce in 2021. In 2011, Black workers made up 7% of the STEM workforce.

Business: Black-owned businesses generate about $206.1 billion in revenue yearly.

Housing: About 65% of Americans are homeowners, a jump of 10.5 million, or 1.3%, from a decade prior. While homeownership continues to trend upwards, disparity continues between racial and ethnic groups. Specifically, the homeownership gap between Black and white Americans is 28%, reflecting a 1% increase from 2012. 

culture

Solange Knowles has unveiled the latest installment of her Eldorado Ballroom series, set to take place at the Los Angeles Philharmonic October 10-13. The "Cranes in the Sky" artist revealed an eclectic lineup featuring orchestral works by Julia Perry, Patrice Rushen and Knowles herself. Eldorado Ballroom is named after the iconic Houston nightclub that played a pivotal role in shaping Knowles’ deep-rooted passion for music and performance.

This Saint Heron-backed series follows the 2023 debut of Eldorado Ballroom at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) and Knowles’ 2022 scoring debut at the New York City Ballet. With her debut at the New York City Ballet, Knowles became the first Black woman—and only the second woman of color—to compose a score for a production by the company, which has a history spanning more than 70 years. Knowles has shifted away from traditional performance formats in recent years, embracing more intricate and varied mediums, as evidenced by her orchestral series and the 2023 performance art exhibition In Service to Whom. 

the sunday briefing recommends…

Read more about how ‘No Cash Acepted’ signs are bad news for unbanked Americans.

Learn how a water crisis is affecting the Caribbean islands and water scarcity may be the new norm.

Engage in learning how opera in South Africa is part of a colonial legacy.

Our editor, Lisa D. Tinsley, would like to thank you for spending part of your day with KISA News Radio. See you next Sunday.

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